David Benton wrote:Probably a set period after the new bags and diners have come into service, and not had major problems. I.e the new cars have run a year without major fault , no need to keep old cars for backup .

Or in this case, deciding to eliminate a whole class of car, meaning there didn’t need to be a ready reserve anyway.

I do wish that Amtrak had kept the bag-dorms in service, but I hope that will be corrected.

I’ll also note that the former Empire Builder great dome lounge is NOT on the auction list.

I’d rather own one of the former ATSF full domes than one of the Empire Builder great domes. However, I could not keep a dome at M&E Railway in New Jersey, as access to Amtrak at New York would not be possible due to clearances.

So from what I recall the biggest issue with the P40's was the trucks. Many had their good trucks swapped due to failing trucks on the P42 - did Amtrak solve the cracking issue and re-truck the P40s?

If not, they probably serve little functional purpose, as even though the trucks are not cast it would still be big money to replace them.

Aside from this, and the storage I do not see any reason where at least a few of them don't make it back on the rails one day - I think most were stored in reasonable condition, and there are enough being disposed of that are likely not to return that one should be able to acquire a few parts.

In the "back of the property" I was surprised to see as many Sightseer Lounge cars in such bad shape and "still around" or on the property at least. Amtrak stashed away the old Heritage Crew Cars back there since retiring them in 2007. They've been sitting there for nearly 10 years. Surprised on them too - that Amtrak hasn't tried to offload them prior to now. But Boardman was supposedly afraid to put them on the "market" fearing they would end up in private rail owner hands and Amtrak would never see the last of them.

Not sure what to think in terms of VIA's interest. It's a lot of money and work for them to restore anything "Amtrak" back into service at this point from Beech Grove. But they've done stranger things! They got a new order of cars for the corridor, but will they keep the Renaissance equipment on the long distance Maritime Ocean train (and presuming the Chaleur will not be returning)? OR, will operation of the Canadian twice a week year round allow the Budd fleet to return to the Maritimes (at the expense of the Canadian potentially), and still retire the Renaissance equipment? It's too bad the Renaissance equipment failed VIA so bad - both the Chaleur and Ocean were to be Renaissance based equipment. But forced early retirement seems to be coming for ALL Renaissance fleet. These open ended questions makes one think about how far VIA would consider the Heritage Diners and and even the Heritage Crew Cars for a total rebuild top to bottom (VIA's done it with the Prestige and other cars)! LOT of work, but does the remainder of VIA's long distance trains - Hudson Bay, Ocean, Canadian - rely on the stainless steel Heritage equipment with a rebuild of some sort. Then all new cars (with what's been announced) for the corridor trains. The White River train likely becomes an engine with two cars (like remote Quebec trains) so RDC's get retired. If VIA elects to continue operating the Renaissance LD equipment in just the Maritimes and for that service alone, then I think VIA will pass on buying anything from Amtrak - maybe three of the best Heritage Diners though. The Diner Fleet is the tightest.

Former Amtrak Pres. David Gunn was so peeved with the Viewliner sleepers he criticized Amtrak's former management for retiring the Heritage sleepers. He said he would have rather had them on the road (upgraded, rebuilt, etc. with retention tanks and modifications), than dealing with the Viewliners (that he thought was complete junk).

jp1822 wrote:INot sure what to think in terms of VIA's interest. It's a lot of money and work for them to restore anything "Amtrak" back into service at this point from Beech Grove. But they've done stranger things! They got a new order of cars for the corridor, but will they keep the Renaissance equipment on the long distance Maritime Ocean train (and presuming the Chaleur will not be returning)? OR, will operation of the Canadian twice a week year round allow the Budd fleet to return to the Maritimes (at the expense of the Canadian potentially), and still retire the Renaissance equipment? It's too bad the Renaissance equipment failed VIA so bad - both the Chaleur and Ocean were to be Renaissance based equipment. But forced early retirement seems to be coming for ALL Renaissance fleet. These open ended questions makes one think about how far VIA would consider the Heritage Diners and and even the Heritage Crew Cars for a total rebuild top to bottom (VIA's done it with the Prestige and other cars)! LOT of work, but does the remainder of VIA's long distance trains - Hudson Bay, Ocean, Canadian - rely on the stainless steel Heritage equipment with a rebuild of some sort. Then all new cars (with what's been announced) for the corridor trains. The White River train likely becomes an engine with two cars (like remote Quebec trains) so RDC's get retired. If VIA elects to continue operating the Renaissance LD equipment in just the Maritimes and for that service alone, then I think VIA will pass on buying anything from Amtrak - maybe three of the best Heritage Diners though. The Diner Fleet is the tightest.

If I were VIA, and after seeing these Siemens cars in action, I would retire all their other cars except those with domes; Skylines and Parks. Golly, if Siemens could make Dome cars I would replace them as well. These Siemens cars are used in "sleeper" service in Europe, they could also do so in North America as well. A unified fleet should make maintaining the trains easier 25 to 50 years from now. But only do so if they are entirely happy with the craftmanship Siemens provides with the original order.

electricron wrote:If I were VIA, and after seeing these Siemens cars in action, I would retire all their other cars except those with domes; Skylines and Parks. Golly, if Siemens could make Dome cars I would replace them as well. These Siemens cars are used in "sleeper" service in Europe, they could also do so in North America as well. A unified fleet should make maintaining the trains easier 25 to 50 years from now. But only do so if they are entirely happy with the craftmanship Siemens provides with the original order.

We don’t agree on everything, Ron, but I’m 100% in agreement here. As for domes, order some unfinished bodies and sub them out to Stadler in Utah for dome fitting and final assembly.

Siemens will build the VIA Fleet in Sacramento but will use Canadian sourced parts, that was mentioned in the VIA press release.There are too many cars on legal dept hold at Beech Grove as it is. As it has been stated upthread,this is scrap material being sold off,all useful parts have been salvaged already.Most have been in wrecks and unrepairable with bent frames ,fire damage,etc.....